Chapter 1530: Chapter 1532: Tobacco and Alcohol

Lu Xiaobu said there is, and everyone present felt a bit dizzy.

There really is?!

What is it?!

Why have they never known?!

"Please enlighten us, sir!" Linren clasped his hands and slightly bowed his body.

His whole demeanor radiated a sense of yearning.

"Take a look at this thing."

Lu Xiaobu took out a cigarette pack and tossed it onto the table.

Yes, he discovered Linren City’s specialty — tobacco!

This made sense; tobacco was introduced to the Heavenly Dynasty during the Ming Dynasty, and the ancients initially called it Resurrection Incense, believing it could save lives.

Mass smoking began during the Qing Dynasty.

Moreover, as previously mentioned, the contact between the two worlds was severed during the late Ming and early Qing period.

Thus, it’s reasonable that people from the Ming Dynasty came here and planted tobacco, but no one made cigarettes out of it.

However, smoking is harmful to your health, so remember to quit early!

"This is..."

Linren stared at the exquisitely made little box, a bit dazed.

"This is called a cigarette," Lu Xiaobu smiled and said, taking one out and lighting it as he spoke.

Then he looked towards Linren: "Come, give it a try."

"Alright."

Linren hesitated but still picked it up, lighting the cigarette in imitation.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Immediately, Linren started coughing from being choked.

He then put the cigarette aside, puzzlingly looking at Lu Xiaobu: "Mr. Lu, why aren’t you coughing? Don’t you feel it’s hot and choking?"

"You’ll get used to it," Lu Xiaobu smiled slightly, "You can try again."

"Then, shall I try again?" Linren hesitated, picking it up once more.

After a few tries, he finally got accustomed to it.

"This thing is addictive," Linren, not in vain as a cultivator, quickly tasted it out.

"The taste seems somewhat familiar," Wu Wei frowned and spoke up.

"It’s... the taste when the wild grasses outside the city burn!" Jiang Lei exclaimed.

"Yes, yes, that’s it!" Wu Wei confirmed: "Could it be that this thing is made from that?"

"Very clever," Lu Xiaobu smiled slightly.

He aimed to help Linren City prosper, and secondly, to prepare some stock for himself.

"But how do we promote this thing? It’s so choking at first, who will smoke it?" Linren questioned.

"Simple."

Lu Xiaobu smiled, took out sunglasses from his pocket, put them on, and leaned against the door frame.

Then, he started blowing smoke rings.

Light smoke covered Lu Xiaobu, and combined with the dim light of the cigarette, it looked incredibly cool.

"Isn’t it cool?"

Lu Xiaobu looked at Jiang Longjun and Lin Lei.

"Super cool!"

Lin Lei immediately jumped up, eyes glowing.

Then he reached out to grab the cigarette on the table!

"Slap!"

Linren slapped him on the back.

"Mr. Lu indeed possesses great talent!"

Wu Wei and Jiang Lei were already eagerly glowing with eyes.

Unlike Lin Lei, their glow came from seeing a gold mountain!

They understood, elegance, demeanor, and style!

This alone was enough to make many people fall in love with it!

Lu Xiaobu nodded, dealing with wise people saves so much trouble.

Yes, it’s precisely that cool factor.

Many people know the earliest reason for smoking wasn’t for some nonsense relaxation, but to appear cool!

Many movie scenes feature smoking looking incredibly cool, arousing the desire for imitation in many.

And then they could not stop!

"I leave this matter to you, is that clear?" Lu Xiaobu looked at Wu Wei.

Wu Wei’s ruthless nature made him the perfect person for this task!

"Of course! Rest assured, Mr. Lu! I think I will handle this beautifully!" Wu Wei immediately stood up straight, promising firmly.

His eyes now glowed brilliantly.

He never thought Mr. Lu would give this business to him; he assumed it would go to Jiang Lei.

This was like a pie falling from the sky!

He then glanced slightly smugly at Jiang Lei—see? What’s the use of your closeness with Mr. Lu?! The benefits are mine!

However, Jiang Lei remained poised, showing no other emotions.

And therein lay Jiang Lei’s advantage, his composure!

"Remember to distinguish!" Lu Xiaobu reminded: "Separate cultivators from ordinary people."

"I understand! Understand! Cultivators can’t have the same thing as ordinary people!" Wu Wei nodded immediately.

Indeed, it didn’t matter if the content was the same, but the price and packaging must be distinct!

Also, they could add some herbal elements.

See, doing business for a lifetime, Lu Xiaobu merely started, and he had already thought about the follow-up.

"Thank you, Mr. Lu! Thank you!" Linren also repeatedly thanked him.

The profit from this business was imaginable!

The existence of mere weeds outside turned into gold in an instant; it was like making money from thin air!

"Don’t be hasty, there’s more," Lu Xiaobu smiled, pointing to the wine on the table: "This is your local specialty wine, right?"

"Yes, Mr. Lu surely knew, in our place, we rely on this," Linren said with a helpless bitter smile, "Both the Wu and Jiang families live on this."

He didn’t mention that this was also why they fought all the time!

"Well, the wine is nice, but it lacks power," Lu Xiaobu shook his head: "I’ll teach you a method of distillation, which can produce high-proof liquor."

"High-proof liquor?" Everyone was stunned, but instinctively believed Lu Xiaobu.

After all, the example of cigarettes was there.

"Well, let’s leave the Wu family’s brewing industry to the Jiang family. Each controls one field," Lu Xiaobu looked at Wu Wei.

"This..."

Wu Wei shivered in his heart upon hearing that.

Wu Shaopu became anxious!

What?! Uttering a word to make them give up their brewing industry?!

That was the hard work of several generations of the Wu family!

And it was their entire source of income!

However, before he could speak.

"Alright, all according to Mr. Lu’s arrangement!" Wu Wei gritted his teeth and agreed!

"Dad!" Wu Shaopu was shocked, why agree?!

"You don’t understand, shut up!" Wu Wei immediately scolded.

He had figured it out.

Mr. Lu couldn’t let the Wu family dominate solely.

Besides, this was also a test for him.

If he was unwilling, I’m afraid this cigarette business would fall into others’ hands!

Agree, must agree!

"Very good," Lu Xiaobu nodded with satisfaction.

Jiang Lei immediately stood up and thanked him: "Thank you, Mr. Lu!"

He felt immensely happy inside.

Wu Wei might be handling a promising future industry, but his was real and tangible profit!

Compared to that, he surely preferred this!

Linren watched from the side, feeling a bit terrified.

Who exactly was this Mr. Lu?!

Why was he so familiar with these balancing tactics or perhaps the strategies of an emperor?!

Even if the opponent didn’t meddle with the military, could he still keep his position as the City Lord?!